Former Nepali Congress president Sher Bahadur Deuba has agreed to resolve the party’s internal dispute, as efforts by second-rung leaders move closer to a deal, a party leader said.

Leaders from the Deuba faction, including Bal Krishna Khand and Ramesh Lekhak, and Shekhar Koirala faction’s leader Minendra Rijal, have been holding talks with office-bearers elected from the special general convention to defuse the crisis.

With the Congress president Gagan Thapa, Deuba and Koirala factions near a deal to move forward through consensus in the upcoming elections, discussions are underway to draft an agreement on paper.

Congress spokesperson Devaraj Chalise, Madhu Acharya, along with Lekhak and Rijal, are meeting in Maharajgunj to finalise the framework.

General Secretary Gururaj Ghimire said talks are ongoing to prepare a consensus document after an understanding was reached among all sides. “A task force representing all factions will draft the agreement, after which we will proceed through consensus,” he said.

Shekhar Koirala on Saturday urged leaders and cadres from his camp to contest the election together. While he said seeking legal remedy against the Election Commission’s decision was natural, he opposed taking the dispute to the streets, a position that put the Deuba camp on the defensive.

Newly elected party president Thapa and his team have also been in talks with leaders close to Deuba. As part of the compromise, discussions include withdrawing a writ filed on Sunday by former acting president Purna Bahadur Khadka against the Election Commission’s decision, and avoiding quota-based ticket distribution. Instead, tickets would go to leaders who have previously won, have strong winning prospects, or enjoy public support.

“A broad agreement has already been reached. With nominations due tomorrow, all three factions are prepared to sit together today for ticket distribution and head into the election with a message of party unity,” a leader close to Deuba said.

According to leaders close to him, Deuba still harbours the ambition to contest the election one final time. They say a broad understanding has also been reached to give him a ticket unless he personally decides otherwise.